Monday, November 09, 2009
Pranic Realization
I hope everyone had a good weekend. I am attending a Thai Yoga Certification training here in Dallas with the gifted Thai Massage Therapist and healer, Chock Petchprom, and his wife Rocie. The training was all day Saturday and Sunday this past weekend. We will finish the 30 hour certification next weekend with class all day Saturday and Sunday then, as well. I am learning so much, in particular, about the powerful meidicinal benefits of Thai Yoga massage and how it is possible to facilitate healing in the body, mind and heart through the releasing of blockages in the energetic meridians of the body. In Yoga, the meridians are called the nadis, and there are supposively 72,000 which run throughout the body. Thai Massage focuses on the 10 major ones.
Speaking of the nadis, I attended a really fascinating workshop with Edward Clark, who is the founder and choreographer of the well-known Tripsichore Yoga Theater Group in London. When I first attended the workshop, I enjoyed it but was uncertain how beneficial I would find his teachings and insights to be in my Yoga practice. I really resisted much of what he was talking about at first. Especially the idea that Yoga is not about going for the stretch. He said nowhere in the Yogic texts does it say the intention of the Asana, or pose, is to go for the stretch. The intention of the Asana is to awaken the flow of Prana/Life Force/Consciousness through the Sushumna Nadi, the central energetic channel through which all Consciousness/energy flows in our body and being. You can think of the Sushumna Nadi as the spinal cord, although it is an energetic pathway not something physical. But, it does flow through the channel of the spine, from the tailbone, all the way up along the spine, around the back of the head, over the top of the head, through the forehead, ending at the point between the eyebrows, known as the 3rd eye or 6th chakra/energy center.
It's been amazing to bring this new awareness into my Yoga practice. In the past, although I knew Yoga is a consciousness awakening practice through the poses and breath...my focus was often more egoic and on some level about attainment...trying to get 'somewhere.' After studying with Edward, my focus has been transformed, once again. Although, it was not comfortable letting go of my old approach, at first. If Yoga is not about trying to achieve something or get somewhere, (a better body, a calmer mind, etc., etc.) on some level, what's it about? For those of you who are able to practice with me here in Dallas...I'm so glad I get to share what he taught us in a practical, physical way, through the Asanas.
If you don't get to practice with me yet, essentially, what Edward was saying, is the whole intention of the Asanas is to maintain the integrity of the spine, or Sushumna Nadi, in any and all poses. The way we maintain the integrity of the spinal column is through the activation of the bandhas, or energy locks in the body-Mula Bandha, Uddiyana Bandha and Jalandhara Bandha. It's amazing what starts to happen in your poses, practice and self when you begin to activate the bandhas. Beryl Bender Birch, a well-known Yoga teacher in New York, says if we are not engaging the bandhas in a pose, we are just doing gymnastics. Perhaps this is a bit of an exaggeration, but Yoga is about becoming increasingly conscious and connected to our breath/Prana. Through the activation of the bandhas in a pose, we are more aware of our body, mind and breath, and our connection to all things. What I'm realizing is greater opening in my backbends, especially the region of the back behind the shoulders. By the New Year, I hope to be making Yoga podcasts available on the True Yoga Blog and website so you can see and practice what I'm talking about. So, there is a physical benefit to engaging the bandhas and activating the flow of energy up the spine, and yet, the intention of this activation is still much greater than just physical. The ultimate Yogic intention is to awaken the flow of Consciousness from the lower centers of awareness (the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd chakras) into the higher states of awareness (the 4th, 5th, 6th and crown chakra.) Through the activation of this flow of energy, we awaken to the energetic reality we are living, breathing and pranafesting with each moment, each breath we breathe. We are channels through which Light/energy flows. It is not flowing from us...it is flowing through us. The body and mind are an instrument to harmonize and direct the flow of this energy in the most powerful and positive way possible.
When I attended the SRF Convocation in L.A. this past August, the monk said that Yogananada would always say to keep your awareness focused at the Christ Consciousness center or 3rd eye/6th chakra. Cosmic energy or Light enters the body through the Medulla Oblongota at the base of the skull (where the brain stem and spinal cord join...it is the center which controls respiration in the body and the one part of the body which can not be operated on) and then is materialized into form through our conscious will, also known as the Christ Consciousness, 3rd eye or Eye of Light. If you imagine everything is energy and, therefore, everything is Light, this light is flowing into you and being pranafested, or manifested, faster than you mind can comprehend. In other words, the Light moving through you is being materialized into form faster than we can imagine. Everything is energy, therefore everything, in essence is Light. The Light moving through you is creating your Conscious reality every moment, with every breath you breathe. The best analogy I can offer would be the light that flows through a movie projector and then projects the picture onto the screen. In essence, you are the the projector. This will give us a good bit to pause and meditate on for a few days.
I will be back soon. Om~ Read more
posted by Leanne @ 12:33 PM 
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Hi,
Yoga is beneficial for the health in ways that modern science is just beginning to understand. Even though it has beenapplied with therapeutic intention for thousand of years, Yoga Therapy is only just now emerging as a discipline initself.
More health care practitioners are starting to include yogic techniques in their approach to healing -- andmore yoga teachers give a therapeutic intention to their teaching. People who have never tried yoga before are startingto consider including Yoga in their treatment plan.
As science begins to document the importance of understanding the interrelation of all existing things, it looks to Yogawith an intrigued eye, for Yoga speaks Unity in every word. As yoga techniques are researched and new data is gathered,it becomes easier for science and the medical establishment to understand and accept the benefits of Yoga Therapy.Yet there is still not one consensual definition of the discipline.
In order to arrive to an adequate definition and tocome up with proper standards for Yoga Therapy, it is crucial at this early stage to properly address some delicateprofessional and ethical issues. At the same time it is important to educatethegeneralpublic about Yoga Therapy'sbenefits and careful use.
so this article will really helpful to me..
Yoga is beneficial for the health in ways that modern science is just beginning to understand. Even though it has beenapplied with therapeutic intention for thousand of years, Yoga Therapy is only just now emerging as a discipline initself.
More health care practitioners are starting to include yogic techniques in their approach to healing -- andmore yoga teachers give a therapeutic intention to their teaching. People who have never tried yoga before are startingto consider including Yoga in their treatment plan.
As science begins to document the importance of understanding the interrelation of all existing things, it looks to Yogawith an intrigued eye, for Yoga speaks Unity in every word. As yoga techniques are researched and new data is gathered,it becomes easier for science and the medical establishment to understand and accept the benefits of Yoga Therapy.Yet there is still not one consensual definition of the discipline.
In order to arrive to an adequate definition and tocome up with proper standards for Yoga Therapy, it is crucial at this early stage to properly address some delicateprofessional and ethical issues. At the same time it is important to educatethegeneralpublic about Yoga Therapy'sbenefits and careful use.
so this article will really helpful to me..
I discovered Thai Massage just 6 months ago and since that day my life changed completely. Interesting post!
Here are some really good yoga tips so you don't injure yourself: http://www.orderonlinedrugs.com/drug-news/2009/08/06/to-yoga-or-not-to-yoga/
Hello,
I would like to introduce myself Anitha Mohanasundaram i am the head of operations for the company called Mooksha ayurveda based out of santa clara California. We bring the ayurvedic products and ayurvedic equipments and Mooksha ayurvedic in spa training and well qualified teachers in the field of ayurveda from india to teach the different ayurvedic massages and techniques in the USA
Our program would include a 5 day introductory course in the ayurvedic Massage and Body work.We come to your facility to train your students.
1. Introduction to ayurveda
2. Hands on training in the below treatments
a.Shirodhara
b.Shirovasthi
c.Abhayanga Traditional Ayurvedic Massage
d.UDvarthanam
e.Utsadanam
f.Nasya
g.Ayurvedic facial
h.Mukha Abyanga
Our teachers have been teaching international students for many years and they are well qualified doctors in the field of ayurveda.
For more information contact us
Phone : 408-982-9113
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regards
For Mooksha ayurveda
Anitha Mohanasundaram.
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I would like to introduce myself Anitha Mohanasundaram i am the head of operations for the company called Mooksha ayurveda based out of santa clara California. We bring the ayurvedic products and ayurvedic equipments and Mooksha ayurvedic in spa training and well qualified teachers in the field of ayurveda from india to teach the different ayurvedic massages and techniques in the USA
Our program would include a 5 day introductory course in the ayurvedic Massage and Body work.We come to your facility to train your students.
1. Introduction to ayurveda
2. Hands on training in the below treatments
a.Shirodhara
b.Shirovasthi
c.Abhayanga Traditional Ayurvedic Massage
d.UDvarthanam
e.Utsadanam
f.Nasya
g.Ayurvedic facial
h.Mukha Abyanga
Our teachers have been teaching international students for many years and they are well qualified doctors in the field of ayurveda.
For more information contact us
Phone : 408-982-9113
Email : mookshausa@gmail.com
regards
For Mooksha ayurveda
Anitha Mohanasundaram.
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